CPI(M) in Tripura objects to ECI accepting claims & objections

Agartala: The ruling CPI(M) in Tripura on Saturday alleged that it was unfair that the Election Commission of India was accepting claims and objections from the opposition Congress and INPT though the last date for it had already passed.

Party spokesman Goutam Das said, "the claims and objection for the second phase of the revision of electoral rolls started on November 2 and ended on November 14, but Congress and Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) are still submitting claims and objections on white paper and surprisingly the EC authorities accepted these."

Stating that it was continuing even now in clear violation of EC norms, Das said, the party had expressed dismay during the visit of deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi to the state on November 28. "It is not good umpiring."

Das also said, a DVD - `Indian Election: A mammoth Democratic Exercise` was recently sent to the Tripura government for showing to the people through the information department.

"We do not know if the Ministry of External Affairs took permission of the EC before publishing the DVD. It does not contain any perspective relating to Tripura which is going for assembly election in early 2013. So, we do not find any logic in showing it to people," he said.

Das also alleged that election symbols of major national political parties were shown on the DVD except that of CPI(M) and CPI.

The DVD also showed some scenes depicting religious rites of two religious communities, he said, adding that as India was a pluralistic country, people of other religions might be hurt after seeing it.